Hello peoples! I was trying to figure out the best player for flac files and Shns.
the more I get into trading and finding live music, the more I keep hearing about leaving the Flac files and Shn alone. meaning not converting to wave. So I gues that means I need a player.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Also, any advise on storage and archiving would help also.

thanks
:hmm:

Five

2005-01-27, 02:33 AM

I still use WinAmp v2.81 (see the config link in my sig for details).

Foobar2000 is the best and easiest (also linked below).

kuba

2005-01-27, 07:45 AM

I'd go with any 2.9x or 5 lite (only basic functions).

RainDawg

2005-01-27, 09:16 AM

Yeah, if you're getting into playing with SHN and FLAC files (and I absolutely agree that they should be left alone), you need to get yourself foobar2000. It's a somewhat utilitarian design, and it may take you a few days to get used to the huge range of customization options that it comes with, but once you get used to it, you'll realize that it blows Winamp out of the water in terms of functionality.

http://foobar2000.blogsite.org/

Erich

2005-01-27, 09:43 AM

i agree with the foobar seniments. After finding out that nullsoft was dropped from AOL and that they may not bother to even continue with winamp, and feeling that they really have been lacking since the v3 plus era, I switched to foobar and havent turned back since.

But the latest 2.x should be the one you use if you use any, or the early 5 series.

TheMamba

2005-01-27, 09:52 AM

Foobar all the way. :cool:

Boddah

2005-01-27, 10:17 AM

winamp v2.09

pauly6

2005-01-27, 03:44 PM

So if I want to burn an audio CD for the car or something, Convert the Shn of Flac to wave with out deleating the input file, burn the wave files , then delete the wave files. That conversion will not have any effect on the origional files , right? :hmm:

jameskg

2005-01-27, 04:07 PM

So if I want to burn an audio CD for the car or something, Convert the Shn of Flac to wave with out deleating the input file, burn the wave files , then delete the wave files. That conversion will not have any effect on the origional files , right? :hmm:

Don't have to use WAVs, really. If you leave them as FLAC and get the Nero 6 plugin for FLAC, you can burn them directly (Nero converts to WAV for you). Really convienient. I like to use Winamp V5.x with the flac plugin for my stuff. I use foobar every now and then to convert an SHN directly to FLAC, etc...

Install Winamp 5 first from here: http://winamp.com/player/free.php
Then install the FLAC Frontened from here: http://flac.sourceforge.net/download.html

So if I want to burn an audio CD for the car or something, Convert the Shn of Flac to wave with out deleating the input file, burn the wave files , then delete the wave files. That conversion will not have any effect on the origional files , right? :hmm:

Correct.

RainDawg

2005-01-27, 04:33 PM

So if I want to burn an audio CD for the car or something, Convert the Shn of Flac to wave with out deleating the input file, burn the wave files , then delete the wave files. That conversion will not have any effect on the origional files , right? :hmm:
Actually, the depends. If you plan on trading the files in the future, back the original SHN/FLAC files up to a CDR or DVDR, as burning to audio CD and then re-extracting can cause unwanted errors. Once you backup the original, unaltered data files, you can then proceed with the above.

The conversion from SHN/FLAC > WAV will not cause any changes in the audio, but unless you're very careful to use EAC and a reliable burner, the transion from WAV > CDR > WAV may, which is why we request that traders keep the unaltered files for passing on to otherse.

irishcrazy2005

2005-01-27, 05:18 PM

Yeah, if you're getting into playing with SHN and FLAC files (and I absolutely agree that they should be left alone), you need to get yourself foobar2000. It's a somewhat utilitarian design, and it may take you a few days to get used to the huge range of customization options that it comes with, but once you get used to it, you'll realize that it blows Winamp out of the water in terms of functionality.

http://foobar2000.blogsite.org/

RainDawg,
As I can't help but notice, you are a big fan of Foobar2000. I saw your thing on how to create a data base and all of that. My question for you is whether or not you store all of your shows on your hard drive? If you don't, what is the use of creating such a database? I am just curious. Also, is there any way to get a volume control to show up in Foobar?

-Phil

pauly6

2005-01-27, 09:29 PM

Don't have to use WAVs, really. If you leave them as FLAC and get the Nero 6 plugin for FLAC, you can burn them directly (Nero converts to WAV for you). Really convienient. I like to use Winamp V5.x with the flac plugin for my stuff. I use foobar every now and then to convert an SHN directly to FLAC, etc...

Install Winamp 5 first from here: http://winamp.com/player/free.php
Then install the FLAC Frontened from here: http://flac.sourceforge.net/download.html

Is there any quality loss when converting Shn files to flac? :hmm:
none whatsoever. follow the link in my signature for a tutorial on how to make 100% secure conversions.

pauly6

2005-01-27, 11:29 PM

Thanks! :D

pauly6

2005-01-28, 12:00 AM

One more question......

So I have a few shows that I have converted a while ago from Shn or flac to wav on my hard drives. Can I use Fubar to convert those files to flac without quality loss? Would thease be ok for trading? they never left the computer. :hmm:

Five

2005-01-28, 12:20 AM

do you have the info that came with the shows? You will be needing that.

they should be fine, if you compress to FLAC again and generate fingerprints they will certinaly match the original fingerprints so long as the WAV files are intact. If you have md5s for SHN sets, it can be very tricky to recompress to shn and 100% verify them since wholefile md5s sensitive to encoder settings. 99% chance that they're perfectly fine, just give them a good inspection before trading.

RainDawg

2005-01-28, 11:40 AM

RainDawg,
As I can't help but notice, you are a big fan of Foobar2000. I saw your thing on how to create a data base and all of that. My question for you is whether or not you store all of your shows on your hard drive? If you don't, what is the use of creating such a database? I am just curious. Also, is there any way to get a volume control to show up in Foobar?

-Phil

I don't keep ALL of my shows on my hard drive, but I do keep all of my official CDs and several hundred of my favorite boots on there in OGG format (high quality lossy). And no...I don't pass those one ;). But I do like to be able to download stuff to my portable or listen to it at home, so I keep the database for the around 500-600 or so albums that are currently on my hard drive to easily navigate and play. I also have the database setup on my wife's computer so that she can easily navigate through the music stored on mine (my media drive is mapped as a network drive) easily...I even configured her database to read a custom tag to hide certain music so that she doesn't have to browse through huge quantities of music to find something she likes. Her tastes are quite a bit more narrow than mine. But you're right, if you don't store the music on your drive, then the database is useless.

Yes, there is a volume control in foobar2000. I know it was part of the foo_tunes UI plugin, and I also know that theres one you can install to the default UI or columnsUI, which is what I use now. I actually don't have a volume bar on foobar, but I know it's out there. I personally use just this program, and it works much more nicely for controlling PC output volume in my opinion:

http://www.snapfiles.com/download/dlvolumouse.html

bfrank

2005-01-29, 05:25 PM

So if I want to burn an audio CD for the car or something, Convert the Shn of Flac to wave with out deleating the input file, burn the wave files , then delete the wave files. That conversion will not have any effect on the origional files , right? :hmm::hmm:i think
http://smilies.sofrayt.com/aiw/smile.gif

wazoo2u

2005-01-29, 05:46 PM

The Volume of Foobar 2000 can be controlled by making Foobar the active window, and using your keypad Plus (+) or minus (-) keys. It takes a bit of getting used to, because it lags real time, but once you get the hang of it, it works fine.

tBT

2005-01-29, 09:16 PM

So many... ways of things. :wtf: I kinda have a quick question... I'm more the old schooled mp3 person, pretty much because I have no clue how to get a flac or shn file into my portable (and I don't that I can either.). My question is, is there a way I can convert shn to mp3? I have dbpoweramp but I don't see anything for shns and the concerts I'm getting are shn files.

Thanks in advance for any tips/help. ^^

RainDawg

2005-01-29, 09:23 PM

My question is, is there a way I can convert shn to mp3? I have dbpoweramp but I don't see anything for shns and the concerts I'm getting are shn files.
It seems that this has become my catch phrase recently:

The answer to this, and any other question regarding audio file playing, converting, or tagging is foobar2000. Yes, it will convert directly from SHN to mp3 if that's what you want. Actually, dbPowerAmp will too though. You need to install both the shn and mp3 codec from their page though:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm

tBT

2005-01-29, 09:36 PM

Thanks very much! I feel like such a dope right now... :rolleyes:

TheMamba

2005-01-29, 10:32 PM

RainDawg: If foobar wasn't free....I'd think you were getting a cut of the action!

:roflol: :roflol:

diggrd

2005-01-29, 11:44 PM

RainDawg: If foobar wasn't free....I'd think you were getting a cut of the action!

:roflol: :roflol:
If Foobar wasn't free it wouldn't be half the program most likely ;)

ssamadhi97

2005-01-30, 03:19 PM

On a related note, there's always foo_burninate for burning gapless* audio cds right from foobar2000 - it automagically decodes files to wav, burns a DAO audio cd using Nero libraries, and deletes the temporary files.

So basically you put a blank into your burner, click thrice (highlight tracks, open context menu, pick Write Audio CD... and get a freshly burned disc.

Anyone feel like doing relevant research and maybe write up a small guide on that? (or browse for one at HA?)

*:of course the cd will only be gapless if your source is gapless as well (mpc, ogg vorbis, mp3s with proper aux info)

I'm too busy and lazy, sorry :)

Five

2005-01-30, 06:40 PM

ssamadhi97, can foo_burninate burn with an offset adjustment like EAC?

ps I love the name!

bkm669

2005-01-30, 07:58 PM

I use the latest winamp 5.08. Your question on keeping your flac and shn files and not converting is great and all. But in order to get your music to a cd for portable listening (i.e.. not sitting at your computer). Your gonna usually have to convert to .wav and burn them, in order to play them on a car/home stereo :)

bkm669

2005-01-30, 08:01 PM

It seems that this has become my catch phrase recently:

The answer to this, and any other question regarding audio file playing, converting, or tagging is foobar2000. Yes, it will convert directly from SHN to mp3 if that's what you want. Actually, dbPowerAmp will too though. You need to install both the shn and mp3 codec from their page though:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm
Easy Cd creator is able to convert to mp3

RainDawg

2005-01-31, 05:12 PM

I use the latest winamp 5.08. Your question on keeping your flac and shn files and not converting is great and all. But in order to get your music to a cd for portable listening (i.e.. not sitting at your computer). Your gonna usually have to convert to .wav and burn them, in order to play them on a car/home stereo :)

See ssamadhi's statement above....foobar can burn as well. Also, for those of us who never burn audio CDs at all, foobar is a godsend. I always play the lossless files directly, and have not made an audio CD in well over a year. I use foobar to convert everything to FLAC and then use my Rio Karma to take it on the road.

Winamp serves no advantage here.

RainDawg

2005-01-31, 05:17 PM

Easy Cd creator is able to convert to mp3
Easy CD creator converting to mp3 using some godawful mp3 codec can in no way compare to the range of converting features offered by foobar. From any format, to any format, with no bloated software like ECD Creator.

I've not made an audio CD in well over a year, but I've also not made an mp3 in quite a bit longer. OGG-Vorbis is the way to go.

It can do so many things, and is such a small, simple, and basic program that I can't see how anything can compare.

pauly6

2005-02-01, 12:47 AM

o

Can anyone tell me where to find a plugin for nero that lets you burn Shn files? :confused: